Upon his retirement in June 2007, Tony Blair assumed the 'unpaid' role of Peace Envoy to the Middle East. He was also appointed as an advisor to the major US Investment Bank, JP Morgan Chase in a deal worth over £1 million per year.

His employers at JP Morgan Chase are major shareholders in Raytheon, having invested close to $80 million in 1997 (that figure is likely to have since increased).

Reporters at the time asked a Government Spokesman if there was likely to be a conflict of interests in is roles as both envoy and advisor. The response? 'Ask Tony Blair'.

Closer scrutiny also needs to be made of New Labour's pro-Israel stance. Both Blair and Gordon Brown are members of 'Labour Friends Of Israel' – a pro-Israeli interest group operating in the UK Parliament (there is also a 'Conservative Friends of Israel' group).

Although largely ignored by the press at the time, the 'Labour Friends Of Israel' group featured at the centre of the 'Donorgate Scandal' of 2007. Abrahams donated at least £548,850 since 2003, via at least two work colleagues, his solicitor and the wife of an employee – an illegal activity. Abrahams at the time ranked as the third biggest Labour donor. Another senior member of 'Labour Friends of Israel' was Lord Michael Levy, the disgraced peer at the centre of Blair's 'Cash For Honours Scandal' (Blair first met Lord Levy at a 'Friends of Israel' function in North London).

Also named in the Cash For Peerages Scandal was Lord Sainsbury – who similarly faced an inquiry over his £2 million loan to the party. Sainsbury too is a 'Labour Freinds of Israel' member (David Goldman – the Chairman of an Israeli telecommunications equipment company BATM Advanced Communications is also reported to have made several 5-figure donations). He too is an LFI member.

Of course we all know about the influence of America's pro-Israeli lobby, AIPAC and their ability to influence the Senate, but too little has been made of pro-Israeli interest groups in our own backyard and I feel it warrants a serious and moderate dialogue.

The image of Blair as somekind of ‘lacky’ or sidekick to Bush has served as a rather convenient cover for Britain's own vested interests in this region. The standard party line is that Britain was pulled somewhat reluctantly into the Middle-Eastern conflict because of its loyalty to the USA, when its quite clear that Britain’s actions were more the result of influence built up at home.

Although interesting to see that the largest shareholders in Trinity Mirror (owner of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, People, and Sunday Mail) are also major shareholders in Raytheon Defense. Little wonder that Piers Morgan was ejected from the Daily Mirror after he published the ‘fake’ photos of UK soldiers urinating on Iraq prisoners. Afterall, it didn’t do much for the war effort.

There’s more here too:

http://www.thesargeants.net/dblog/articolo.asp?articolo=165

Interesting ideas but you have to look at the comments area for more on Raytheon and Blair.